Living in Japan and supporting family back home shouldn’t mean standing in long konbini lines or guessing exchange rates. If your salary is in yen and your loved ones are waiting in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, or the Philippines, the SmileRemit app lets you send money from your phone in under five minutes—often with zero transfer fee and rates that beat most banks.
Below is the only walkthrough you’ll need: from download to delivery, plus insider tips to keep more JPY in your pocket and more NPR/INR/LKR/BDT/PHP in theirs.
Why Foreign Residents in Japan Choose SmileRemit
- Licensed in Japan: Registered Kanto Local Finance Bureau (#00059) and JPSA member—your funds stay inside the regulatory fence.
- Same-day or T+1 to all five countries: 80 % of PHP transfers to Metrobank/BDO land in 10 minutes; NPR to NMB Bank and INR to HDFC typically within 2 hours.
- Transparent JPY spread: 0.8–1.2 % above mid-market, visibly shown before you confirm.
- 0-yen fee campaigns: Every Friday and on Nepali/Indian/Sri Lankan national holidays.
- Full Japanese & English UI: Switch inside the app—no more Google-translating katakana.
Step-by-Step: Install & Verify in 7 Minutes
1. Download & Initial Setup
- iPhone: App Store → “SmileRemit 国際送金”.
Android: Google Play → “SmileRemit”. - Open → “新規登録” → enter e-mail & SMS-capable phone number (docomo/SoftBank/Y!mobile all OK).
- Set 4-digit app passcode + enable biometric login (fingerprint/Face ID) for one-tap future sends.
2. Identity (KYC) Upload
SmileRemit follows the same 3-step KYC template as Wise and KyodaiRemit, but you can complete it 100 % inside the app—no mailing:
- MyNumber: Take a clear photo of the plastic card; glare-free.
- Residence Card: Front & back; ensure the 在留期間 expiry date is readable.
- Selfie: Blink when the oval frame turns green—AI matches your face to the residence card.
Approval average: 6 min (office hours). You’ll get a push “本人確認完了” before your coffee cools.
3. Add First Recipient
Tap “送金先追加” → choose country → enter:
- Bank name (e.g., Nepal Investment Mega Bank, State Bank of India, Bank of Ceylon, BRAC Bank, BDO).
- Branch & account number; SmileRemit auto-validates length (Nepal 14 digits, India 10–18, etc.).
- Mobile number of receiver: Optional but speeds up cash-pickup in Bangladesh (bKash) and the Philippines (Palawan).
Save template—next time it’s one tap.
How to Send Money: 4-Tap Flow
-
Top-up your SmileRemit JPY balance
- Instant: Link any Japan-issued debit card (JCB, Visa, MUFG, Rakuten) → “チャージ” → enter amount.
- Free bank transfer: From your Japanese bank to SmileRemit’s Mitsubishi UFJ account with your unique 6-digit customer code in the memo. Funds reflect in 5–30 min during business hours.
-
Tap “今すぐ送金”
Select saved recipient or add new → enter amount in JPY or receiving currency.
Example: You type PHP 25 000; app shows JPY 68 450 @ 0.365 exchange + 0 fee (Friday campaign). -
Review & Lock Rate
Rate freezes for 30 min. If it worsens >0.5 % you get an alert to re-confirm—same policy as Wise. -
Confirm & Track
Swipe → real-time status map: “Processing” → “Partner bank credited” → “Receiver notified”.
Push & e-mail receipts in English & local language—forward to your family for peace of mind.
Funding Options Compared
| Method | Speed | Cost | Limit (per tx) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debit card (JCB/Visa) | Instant | 0 % (campaign)–1.5 % | JPY 500 k |
| Japan bank transfer (UFJ/SMBC/SBI) | 5–30 min | 0 yen | JPY 1.5 m |
| Seven Bank ATM cash | 2 h | JPY 220 flat | JPY 300 k |
Tip: Use Friday debit-card top-up when SmileRemit waives the 1.5 % card fee—cheaper than a 200-yen ATM ticket and you earn Rakuten/Apple points.
Exchange Rates & Fees: The Real Numbers (25 Dec 2025 snapshot)
| Corridor | SmileRemit Rate | Mid-market | Spread | Transfer Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPY→NPR | 1.135 | 1.147 | 1.05 % | 0 yen (campaign) |
| JPY→INR | 0.558 | 0.564 | 1.06 % | 0 yen |
| JPY→LKR | 1.985 | 2.005 | 1.00 % | 0 yen |
| JPY→BDT | 0.742 | 0.750 | 1.07 % | 0 yen |
| JPY→PHP | 0.365 | 0.369 | 1.08 % | 0 yen |
Compared with BrastelRemit (1.8 % spread + JPY 400) and CityRemit (1.5 % + JPY 500), SmileRemit saves roughly JPY 1 500 on a JPY 100 000 transfer—enough for a bento lunch.
Speed Tests: When Will the Money Land?
- Nepal (NMB, Siddhartha, Nabil): 09:00–15:00 JST send → same day 15:30–17:00 NPT.
- India (HDFC, ICICI, SBI, PNB): T+0 if sent before 14:00 JST; T+1 after cutoff. IMPS transfers (INR <200 k) in 5 min.
- Sri Lanka (Bank of Ceylon, Commercial, Sampath): 10:30 JST batch → 12:30 LKT same day.
- Bangladesh (BRAC, Dutch-Bangla, bKash): bKash instant 24/7; bank credit 2–4 h.
- Philippines (BDO, Metrobank, Palawan, GCash): 80 % in <10 min; remainder by 18:00 PHT.
Pro tip: Send before 10:00 JST to catch all same-day clearing windows.
Daily & Monthly Limits
- Per transfer: JPY 1.5 m (≈ NPR 1.7 m, INR 840 k, PHP 550 k).
- Per day: JPY 3 m across all recipients.
- Per month: JPY 5 m cumulative.
Need more? Upload additional income proof (payslip or 源泉徴収票) → limit raised to JPY 10 m within 24 h.
Troubleshooting: 3 Common Hiccups
-
“Bank code invalid”
SmileRemit’s dropdown auto-fills most branches; if yours is missing, choose “その他” and manually enter 4-digit code (Nepal & Bangladesh lists update monthly). -
Debit-card charge declined
Japanese banks often block first overseas card load. Call the number on the back of your card, say “国際送金サービスへのチャージを許可”, then retry—works 99 % of time. -
Receiver name mismatch
Ensure the exact romanisation on the bank book (e.g., “Gurung” not “GRG”). SmileRemit allows one free name correction before payout; after that, JPY 1 500 amendment fee.
Safety & Security Checklist
- 2-Factor Authentication: SMS + e-mail on every new device.
- App-lock: Biometric or 6-digit PIN; auto-logout after 3 min.
- Segregated customer funds: Held in UFJ trust account, separate from SmileRemit corporate money—same structure as Wise.
- Encrypted chat support: Inside app → “サポート” → live agent 09:00–21:00 JST, English OK.
SmileRemit vs. Other Japan-based Apps (Quick Glance)
| Feature | SmileRemit | Wise | JpRemit | BrastelRemit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPY→PHP fee | 0 yen | JPY 150 | JPY 390 | JPY 500 |
| Rate spread | ~1 % | 0.35–0.6 % | 1.8 % | 1.9 % |
| Speed to India | 2 h | 20 min | Next day | Next day |
| Cash pickup | bKash, Palawan | Palawan only | None | bKash |
| JP support hours | 09:00–21:00 | 09:00–17:00 | 10:00–17:00 | 09:00–18:00 |
Verdict: If you value the cheapest overall cost on zero-fee promo days and want both bank deposit & cash-pickup options, SmileRemit wins. When every minute counts, Wise is still fastest to IMPS India; but you pay slightly higher variable fees.
5 Pro Tips to Maximise Yen & Minimize Stress
- Stack Friday free-fee days with rate-alert: Set your target INR 0.56 or PHP 0.37 inside the app; SmileRemit notifies you when the mid-market touches that level—lock immediately and pay 0 yen fee.
- Use bKash for Bangladesh emergencies: 24/7 instant, and right now SmileRemit absorbs the 1.5 % bKash cash-out fee—save BDT 150 on every Tk 10 000.
- Batch family remittances: Send one larger amount (e.g., JPY 300 k) instead of three small—same spread, zero fee, and you only pay the card charge once.
- Earn Rakuten points: Top-up with Rakuten debit card → 1 pt per JPY 100; on zero-fee Friday that’s effectively +1 % back.
- Screenshot the “受取通知”: Share via Viber/IMO so relatives can collect cash even with patchy data—the reference number is all they need.